Configuring Remote Desktop Features

Table Of Contents
The default list of favorite applications list remains in effect when an end user first connects to a desktop
that is enabled with Unity Touch. However, if the user configures his or her own favorite application list,
the default list is ignored. The user's favorite application list stays in the user's roaming profile and is
available when the user connects to different machines in a floating or dedicated pool.
If you create a default list of favorite applications and one or more of the applications are not installed in
the Horizon 7 desktop operating system, or the paths to these applications are not found in the Start
menu, the applications do not appear in the list of favorites. You can use this behavior to set up one
master default list of favorite applications that can be applied to multiple virtual machine images with
different sets of installed applications.
For example, if Microsoft Office and Microsoft Visio are installed on one virtual machine, and Windows
Powershell and VMware vSphere Client are installed on a second virtual machine, you can create one list
that includes all four applications. Only the installed applications appear as default favorite applications on
each respective desktop.
You can use different methods to specify a default list of favorite applications:
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Add a value to the Windows registry on the virtual machines in the desktop pool
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Create an administrative installation package from the Horizon Agent installer and distribute the
package to the virtual machines
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Run the Horizon Agent installer from the command line on the virtual machines
Note Unity Touch assumes that shortcuts to applications are located in the Programs folder in the Start
menu. If any shortcut is located outside of the Programs folder, attach the prefix Programs to the shortcut
path. For example, Windows Update.lnk is located in the ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start
Menu folder. To publish this shortcut as a default favorite application, add the prefix Programs to the
shortcut path. For example: "Programs/Windows Update.lnk".
Prerequisites
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Verify that Horizon Agent is installed on the virtual machine.
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Verify that you have administrative rights on the virtual machine. For this procedure, you might need
to edit a registry setting.
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If you have floating-assignment desktop pools, use Active Directory to set up roaming user profiles.
Follow the instructions provided by Microsoft.
Users of floating-assignment desktop pools will be able to see their list of favorite applications and
favorite files every time they log in.
Configuring Remote Desktop Features in Horizon 7
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